HISD plays host to Broad Prize observers

J.P. Henderson Elementary Principal Herlinda Garcia welcomes visitors from the Broad Foundation to her campus during a news conference Wednesday. HISD is one of four finalists for the foundation's urban education prize.

“Why did you not wear your tennis shoes today?” Houston ISD Superintendent Terry Grier joked Wednesday afternoon with J.P. Henderson Elementary School Principal Herlinda Garcia, who was wearing black dress shoes with a black skirt suit during a tour of her campus.

Garcia, who stands 5 feet, 2 inches tall and walks like a sprinter, even in heels, said she was dressed up for out-of-town visitors observing her school to help determine whether HISD deserves to win the Broad Prize for Urban Education.

“I wear those [sneakers] when the cameras are not present,” Garcia said with a laugh.

HISD was one of four districts nominated in April for the award, sponsored by the Los Angeles-based Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, which honors urban districts where students make above-average academic gains. The winner will be announced in October. The prize, which HISD won in 2002, comes with bragging rights and $550,000 in college scholarships for students.

For being a finalist, HISD is guaranteed $150,000 in scholarship money.

The prize committee has sent five researchers to HISD this week to observe schools and to interview about 320 people, including teachers, principals, central office staff and business partners, said team leader Shelley Billig, vice president of RMC Research. Billig said the researchers ask HISD to select six schools for visits (two high performing, two average performing and two low performing), but the staff members interviewed are randomly selected “so they [HISD leadership] can’t really stack the deck.”

The tour of J.P. Henderson, a high-performing school that serves mostly low-income and Hispanic students, was open to the news media. Garcia, who has been principal of J.P. Henderson for three decades, said she had spruced up the landscaping in front of the school before Grier visited a few weeks ago, so the trimmed trees and flowers were not brand new for the Broad Prize committee.

Posters and photographs highlighting the school’s programs adorned the walls. One read, “MENTORING AND SHARING BEST PRACTICES.” Another highlighted a preschool and parent education program. A photo of Grier in a classroom stood on a frame in the school’s main entryway, and a photo of school board member Juliet Stipeche hung on a nearby wall.

“We thought the pictures would go a long way,” Garcia said as she sped ahead of the pack on the tour. At quick stops in a few classrooms, two researchers took notes and chatted with students as they worked on a science experiment, calculated the difference in perimeter of two shapes, and listened to a teacher read a book about community workers.

One of the researchers, Eileen Rudden, a former administrator for Chicago public schools, said she was impressed by the “incredible alignment” among the school board, the superintendent and teachers in support of the district’s goals. “We talked to teachers who validated how they’re supported,” Rudden said.

Researchers for the Broad Prize for Urban Education, including Shelley Billig (front), talk to students at J.P. Henderson as they work together to solve math word problems Wednesday afternoon.

When I asked her about the district’s critics, Rudden said, “I think that kind of goes with the program.”

At a news conference after the tour, Erica Lepping, a spokeswoman for the Broad Foundation, praised HISD for making bigger academic gains than most of its urban peers, based on data from 2008 through 2011. When Grier, who became superintendent in September 2009, took the microphone, he offered kind words for his predecessor, Abelardo Saavedra.

Lepping also noted that the prize selection committee includes former U.S. Education Secretary and HISD Superintendent Rod Paige, “who may have to recuse himself.” She made the comment while laughing, indicating that Paige still could serve despite his former connection to HISD.

The other school districts nominated this year are Corona-Norco Unified in Southern California and Miami-Dade and Palm Beach County in Florida.

“Being one of the four finalists is nice, but we can’t wait until October,” Grier said.

16 Responses

If the Broad people see the rats all over our HISD classrooms, do you think we might lose this award? Or maybe. The Broad people will have mercy on us and give us money to deal with this public health problem? It would nicer than a trophy.

Aldine ISD won the prize before despite being nearly unacceptable as a district.
So anything is possible with the Broad people.
Then again, who really believes in the Broad people besides that they have money to blow?

Grier says, “Exciting times and confirmation of TEAM HISD’s great work!” Then why are there approximately 725 openings for teachers on the HISD website as of May 21st and also 6 open principal positions???? HISD schools are out in about a week, many schools have openings for 10 or more teachers indicating a mass exodus underway… ARE GRIER and the BOARD MEMBERS PAYING ANY ATTENTION TO THIS ISSUE??? How and where are they going to find this many certified teachers to fill all of these openings?

Someone please hand me a barf bag because I am going to be sick! Are you kidding me, schools and teachers chosen randomly?? Grier needs to take his meds because he is truly dilusional and I hope he doesn’t think that WE all bought into his lies and spin! Like they say…”you an fool some of the people some of the time…blah blah blah…..BUT we here in the city know that HISD is on a downward spiral and until Grier is gone it will contiue to fall! Another thing, Walnut Bend ES should have NEVER even been plaed in Grier’s Harvard/HISD/Fryer lab rat experiment because it was already Recognized or better! So this is what Dr. Smear, oops my bad, Grier tries to tout as a school that HE and Fryer have saved!?!?! Well if HISD wins this award, it was bought and paid for by the Houston taxpayers because truth be known this district DOES NOT deserve it so Grier and this board decided to try and buy it! All the while laying off teachers! Why aren’t these people going to Lee HS to meet Davila or T.H. Rogers to meet the great Winn, or Gregory-Lincoln to meet what’s her name Faranias and all the other losers Grier supports and brags about??? Oh that’s right we have guests now don’t we! So see you evil people who are ripping HISD apart and bullying, harassing, humiliating, and terminating teachers for your precious King Grier, now you are just the evil princesses that did not get to go to the ball!!! Hahahahahaha…ROFLMAO….see you are all being used and your day will soon come!

Are you for real? Do YOU personally work for HISD or just a bystander through all the destruction that is taking place within HISdat the present time? Those of us dealing with this administration on a daily basis know the truth and those on the outside CAN’T handle the truth that’s why HISD put their spin on eveything so the public gets the “fluff” news that they enjoy spoon feeding them! Get real and wake up, HISD is going down and at an alarming rate and anyone who can’t see that needs to come into the light and get a reality check! The only ones touting HISD are the ones that are benefitting the most and that is NOT the teachers and the students!!!

Candy,
Sorry, I did not realize the Broad prize was a lottery. I thought it was to do with well run districts.
My bet is the Broad prize reviewers are getting a very special good time from TEAM HISD indeed.
Maybe Ft. Bend Mechanical will offer special new AC systems? Maybe Aramark will offer tasty meals for life? Maybe Paula Harris can arrange for some great Italian vacations? Perhaps Grier can offer lessons on winning by intimidation and destruction?

I wonder if they (the Broad Committee) saw the results for the School Improvement Officers’ (SIOs) Campus Climate Surveys? Are the results from each campus going to be made public? Those should be helpful….huh?

This is a joke. I have taught in three different states and these children in TX are the lowest I have seen. One problem – bilingual classes. They are a joke. When living in Los Angeles, I taught first grade and received a student from Argentina – NO ENGLiSH. In just months she was fluent. I was lucky enough to change grade levels and got her again in fourth grade. She helped bring up my test scores. Get rid of bilingual. You are only holding the children back from their true potential. This is just one of the many problems with HISD/Texas.